Acupressure for Health and Beauty: Outlining a Telemedicine Approach
Shellie Goldstein, DAPM, AP, LAc
The coronavirus pandemic has drastically altered life as we know it, and one can only speculate what awaits us in the winter season to come. In mid-March 2020, many of us in the Chinese medicine health care field were unexpectedly forced to turn our brick-and-mortar practices into virtual telemedicine in order to assist our patients back to health. Fortunately, this transition from practitioner-performed acupuncture to telepatient-performed acupressure has the potential to be an easy and effective shift.
Many randomized clinical trials (RCTs) utilize some form of acupressure (toothpick or retractable needle) as sham treatment. RCT results demonstrate that when compared to no treatment, sham acupuncture and verum acupuncture are generally effective (approximately 50 percent and 30 percent, respectively). RCT researchers have thus concluded: "Although there may be evidence to support the efficacy of acupuncture therapy for the intended condition, the results between sham and real acupuncture are insignificant."1
Although researcher interpretations of these results raise questions about acupuncture's purported mechanism of action, the bottom line is that both modalities, acupuncture and acupressure, obtain beneficial effects. Additionally, acupuncture and acupressure outcomes are statistically significant when compared to no treatment.
As practitioners of Chinese medicine, we know patients' primary complaints are generally myriad disharmonies. As cosmetic facial acupuncturists, we learn beauty is viewed as a balance of internal harmony reflected on the skin surface. A disharmony in the Zang-Fu organs, meridians, qi, blood, and fluids can be viewed as the core of cosmetic-related complaints. An imbalance of any or all of these can be reflected on the face in the form of wrinkles, muscle tone changes, decreased skin elasticity, skin problems, marks, a withered, pale, dry appearance, and more.
The etiology of these conditions is embedded in the pattern recognition, diagnosis and treatment of qi, blood and fluids as they influence and are influenced by the elements, organs and meridians.
Step #1: Treat the Root Cause
In order to tailor your patient's acupressure treatment, begin by establishing their underlying pattern of disharmony. Use points on the body to treat the root cause; then add face points to address the specific facial concerns. With their finger or an instrument-assisted acupressure tool, instruct your patient to massage or apply pressure to points from the suggested list below:
Kidney / Bladder points:
KI 11: facial swelling
KI 13: hydrates dry skin, lightens age spots, improves withered complexion
Similar to tuina, acupressure is commonly used throughout Asian countries to treat many health conditions. Whether in-office or on-camera, acupressure is a beneficial treatment. Assisting your patient with acupressure to enhance health and beauty can be rewarding for both you and your patient. In addition to being effective, it is easy to perform, with results that have the potential to be long lasting.
Reference
Tan JY, et al. Sham acupressure controls used in randomized controlled trials: a systematic review and critique. PloS One, 2015;10(7):e0132989.
Editor's Note: Ask the Expert! If you would like your questions or comments addressed this column, please send them to: info@hamptonsacupuncture.com(put "Ask the Expert" in the subject line).
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